Craig City Council seats, mayor’s position on April’s municipal ballot

Three Craig City Council positions and the mayor’s seat are up for grabs in April’s municipal election.

The terms of council members Ray Beck, Joe Herod and Byron Willems, as well as Mayor Don Jones, are expiring.

Council members serve four-year terms and are limited to two consecutive terms. The mayor’s position is limited to three, two-year consecutive terms.

A term-limited mayor may run for city council, city clerk and personnel director Shirley Seely said.

Mayor Don Jones could fall into that category.

Jones, who is term limited as mayor, served several terms as a city council member and has been mayor for six years. He must wait two years before he can again run for mayor, Seely said.

Jones said he was unsure if he would run for a city council position.

Beck has served on the council for one, four-year term.

He said Wednesday he would seek another term on the council. He said he considered running for mayor, but believes he would “better serve the community” as a council member.

He said it has been an “honor and a privilege” to serve four years on the council and he would be “humbled” to be selected by voters for another term.

“From my standpoint, I have a passion for being involved in the community and I just want to be able to continue down that path and make a positive impact within the community,” he said.

Herod, who is term limited, said he would not pursue a mayoral bid.

“I think this is the end for a while,” he said. “I have served my terms, both of them, and I feel good about it.”

Willems has served on the council since 2009. He served the remaining two years of former city council member Rod Compton’s term.

Council member Gene Bilodeau was appointed to fill Compton’s absence until the 2009 election, but since Willems received the fewest votes in that election, Bilodeau was elected to serve a new, four-year term.

Willems was not available for comment Thursday afternoon.

For more on this story, read Friday’s Craig Daily Press or visit www.craigdailypress.com.